Tuesday, March 20, 2012

It was announced today that the national debt has grown $4.939 trillion in the three short years since President Obama took office, the largest increase in debt under any president in our nation’s history. It tops the $4.899 trillion debt acquired under President George W. Bush’s two terms in office. President Obama and Congressional Democrats have often blamed President Bush for our national debt issues, claiming the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the Medicare prescription drug program are to blame for our current debt crisis.

“Looks like the president and Congressional Democrats can no longer play the ‘Blame Bush’ game to wipe away their responsibility for our debt crisis,” stated Westmoreland. “Today’s numbers show it is their reckless ‘spend now, pay later’ policies that have driven this country into more debt than any other president in our nation’s history. And that’s not even the full picture because we are just three years in to this president’s first term. If he were to win re-election and his budget proposals were actually approved, our debt would reach $20 trillion by the end of his presidency – an increase of more than $9 trillion. Or to put it another way, if he were to serve as president for two full terms and spend money the way he wants, he will have increased the national debt almost 100 percent since taking office.”

President Obama’s budget proposal for FY2013 expects the national debt to continue to rise throughout his presidency, without seeing a balance through the ten year projections. However, his disregard for the national debt is a change of tune from his 2008 campaign. Then, the president repeatedly spoke out against the debt acquired while President Bush was in office.

“And how does President Obama feel about a president who acquires so much debt? Well, in his own words, he describes that president as both ‘irresponsible’ and ‘unpatriotic,’” stated Westmoreland. “Look, we have absolutely got to get our debt under control. Whether the president or Congressional Democrats like it or not, they can’t keep writing checks for their favorite pet projects that this government cannot afford to cash. Numbers like these released today should serve as a wakeup call to all Americans, no matter their political affiliation, that it is time reform the way Washington spends money before it’s too late.”

Click here to view the video of President Obama referring to President Bush as ‘irresponsible’ and ‘unpatriotic’ for increasing the debt $4.899 trillion in eight years – less than what President Obama has increased the budget in only three short years.